Process and apparatus for stripping bobbins



Dec. 10, 1968 M. O N Y ET AL 3,414,955

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPFING BOBBINS Filed June 27, 1966 Am. SOURCE 1 1 9- iNVENTORS? V GEOEGE- EBEsNYo and MAURICE- H. COURTNEY 2 QA PWAQRNEYS United States Patent 3,414,955 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING BOBBINS Maurice H. Courtney, Narrows, and George F. Besnyo, Pearisburg, Va., assignors to Celanese Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 27, 1966, Ser. No. 560,606 3 Claims..(Cl. 28-19) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for removing yarn residues from a spool by means of hot air is provided with a pair of diverging hot air orifices so as to perform the job more effectively particularly in the corners of the spool.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for removal of residual yarns from bobbins or similar package bodies and more specifically to the removal of residual thermoplastic yarns from bobbins.

In the spinning and more generally in the processing of synthetic or man-made yarns, the necessity often arises to have residues of yarn or yarn ends removed from the packages, spools, caps or bobbins and the removed material recovered and recycled as starting material. The term spool will be used to designate any such device about which the yarn is wound.

Devices which have heretofore been employed for stripping residual yarns from bobbins and the like are devices such as, for instance, cutting tools for mechanically severing yarns from spool bodies, fine jets of water under high pressure for cutting through yarns disposed on bobbins and hot air jets operated at temperatures near the melting points of thermoplastic yarns for stripping thermoplastic yarns from bobbins. Of the aforementioned systems, the hot air jets have proven to be most satisfactory in that the use of knife edges for stripping yarns will create spurs and other damaging surface effects upon the spool or bobbin while the use of a water jet for cutting yarns produces difficulties in the subsequent attempts to place the yarn in solution for reuse. The hot air jets, however, are also subject to certain deficiencies such as, for instance, overheating in certain areas and thereby scorching both yarn and spool or bobbin. Hot air jets will also frequently fail to sever yarns disposed at the extremities of spools or bobbins in that the flanged ends of spools or bobbins will provide natural heat sinks which thereby inhibit the cutting action of the hot air jet.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a process for stripping thermoplastic yarns from spools or bobbins by means of a hot air jet which provides a uniform cutting action without scorching.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for cutting thermoplastic materials by means of a hot air jet which provides uniform cutting action without scorching.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a stripping nozzle suitable for use in processes and apparatus for stripping waste yarns from spools or bobbins.

In accordance with this invention, it has now been dis covered that waste yarns may be effectively stripped from spools or bobbins by means of a nozzle directing at least two divergent streams of hot air against a yarn wound bobbins. Preferably, the divergent streams of hot air are directed against the bobbin while traversing movement is achieved between the yarn wound bobbin and hot air nozzle, the traverse being such that the nozzle is always equidistant from the yarn wound face of the bobbin. The design of the hot air nozzle is such that the air jets will be 3,414,95 Patented Dec. 10, 196

in a plane which is common to the longitudinal axis the yarn wound bobbin. The hot air nozzle is also prefer bly designed so that the divergent jets are offset from ear other an equal and opposite number of degrees from t] perpendicular.

It should be understood that the term air as employ: herein includes any non-explosive gas or mixture of gas such as, for instance nitrogen or nitrogen mixtures.

A better understanding of the invention may be h: from the following description of the drawings whereil FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the yarn strippir apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view partially in section taken alor the line 2-2 of the yarn stripping apparatus of this i1 vention.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional side view taken alor the line 33 of the yarn stripping jet of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the yarn stripping jet 1 this invention.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram of the yarn strippir apparatus of this invention.

Turning to FIGURE 1 of the drawings it may be see that a hot air gun 1 is mounted so as to traverse acroi bobbin member 2. Both hot air gun 1 and the traversir mechanism being supplied with air through air hose men bers 3, the traversing mechanism being a pneumatic tr: versing mechanism. The length of the traverse cycle conveniently controlled by means of adjustable triggt mechanisms 4 positioned at either end of the support re 9, adjustable trigger mechanisms 4 actuate their respectiv limit switches 8 which in turn are in circuit with solenoic which actuate and deactuate a pneumatic control cylinde. The distance between the hot air jet 5 of hot air gun and bobbin member 2 is conveniently controlled by meat of adjusting screws 6, adjusting screw 6 raising or lowerin pivoted bracket member 7 which supports the bobbi member 2.

The design of hot air jet member 5 which is critical t the proper functioning of the yarn stripping apparatu may be seen in greater detail in FIGURES 3 and 4. Hc air jet member 5 is a cylinder open and flanged at on end, flange member 13 being employed for securing hot ai jet member 5 to hot air gun 1. The end opposite the flange end of the cylinder of hot air jet 5 is capped with a con 10, cone 10 carrying orifices 11,. orifices 11 having pip members 12 projecting externally therefrom. As can b seen in FIGURE 4, pipe members 12 are flattened mem bers, that is to say the cross sectional areas of pipe mem bers 11 have a longitudinal axis and a short axis and ma be elliptical in shape or may have sides which are paralle along the longitudinal axis. Pipe members 12 are aligne such that the elongational axis of each falls along an axi bisecting cone member 10. Pipe members 12 are also diver gently aligned so that each pipe member is offset from th other an equal and opposite number of degrees from th perpendicular, the angle of inclination preferably bein from about 20 to about 35, that is to say there is pref erably an agle of inclusion between the two pipe member of from about 40 to about 70 and most preferably a1 angle of inclusion about 60.

As previously mentioned, hot air gun is mounted f0 traverse movement, the traverse being achieved by mean. of a pneumatic device. A better understanding of the ac tuation of hot air gun may be had from the descriptiol of FIGURE 5 of the drawings. As may be seen in FIG URE 5, a suitable air source 20 which may be a commor compressor forces an air supply through a T member 21 from which point a portion of the air is sent to hot air gur 21 at which point the air is heated by means of an elec trical heating element 23. A portion of air issuing from '1 member 22 passes through control valve 24, control valve 4 serving to actuate or deactuate the traverse mechanism. 'hen control valve 24 is in an actuated position, air will w into control cylinder 25, control cylinder 25 being rlenoid actuated so as to either permit air to flow into .ndem air hydraulic cylinder 26 or be exhausted. Tandem r hydraulic cylinder 26 is mechanically linked with and 'ovides the driving force for the traversing mechanism hot air gun 21, the rate of traverse being regulated by .eans of control valve 27 positioned in the hydraulic sec- DH of tandem cylinder 26. Limit switches 28 which are sposed at opposite ends of the traverse mechanism and hich are actuated by adjustable trigger mechanisms 4, [Own in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, serve to actuate and :actuate the solenoids which are a portion of control Ilinder 25, that is to say, limit switches 28 will determine hether the solenoids allow the air supply to exhaust trough control cylinder 25 or cause the air supply to move to the air portion of the tandem air hydraulic cylinder ember 26.

Although the invention has been specifically described 1r use with a pneumatic traverse mechanism, it should be iderstood that other means of traversing may be em- .oyed, such as for instance, a purely mechanical traverse echanism. When mechanical traversing systems are emoyed, it is preferred that the rate of traverse be slower at ther end of the traversing stroke. The reason for the prerred non-uniform traversing rate is that when a flanged )bbin is being stripped, the flanged portion of the bobbin 'ovides a heat sink and therefore the hot air gun must 1V6 a longer residence time at the flanged portions of the )bbins than at the central portions of the bobbin. It lould also be understood that while the invention has :en specifically described for manual bobbin loading that :e device lends itself to full automation, such as for inance, conveyor carriage of bobbinse. In addition, the dece Whether automated or manually operated may be )mbined with other bobbin maintenance operations such for instance bobbin cleaning or bobbin bufling operaons.

While the process and apparatus of this invention are litable for use in stripping any type of thermoplastic xrn from a bobbin, the process and apparatus of this in- :ntion has been found to be especially suitable for stripng cellulose acetate and cellulose triacetate yarns from JbblIlS. When cellulose acetate or cellulose triacetate ill'lS are being stripped from bobbins, it is preferred that e air temperatures be in the range of from about 350 C. about 500 C. and still more preferably from about 425 C. to about 450 C. and also that air pressures in the range from about 20 pounds per square inch gauge to about pounds per square inch gauge be employed and preferably from about 25 pounds per square inch gauge to about 30 pounds per square inch gauge. Preferred cutting distances for cellulose acetate and cellulose triacetate yarns are distances of from about inch to about inch, the distance being measured from the yarn wound face of the bobbin to the tip of the hot air jet. When polyamide fibers are being stripped from a bobbin the same conditions employed for cellulose acetate are found to be satisfactory. For stripping polyester fibers, however, it is found that most preferred results are obtained in the temperature range from about 350 C. to about 400 C.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for removing synthetic yarn residue from a spool, the apparatus including means for holding a spool, an air blower, means to heat said air, a nozzle to direct heated air against said spool, and means for effecting relative movement between said spool and said nozzle, the improvement comprising at least two pipe members positioned on said nozzle to control the direction of heated air exiting therefrom, said pipe members having their axes divergent from one another so as to direct their respective air blasts at locations laterally beyond said nozzle, thereby to remove effectively yarn residues at the ends of said spool.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two pipe members are provided, defining between their respective axes an angle of from 40 to 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for effecting relative displacement between said spool and said nozzle includes a movable carrier for said nozzle, a pair of opposed limit switches for controlling the traverse of said carrier and a double acting pneumatic control device for moving said carrier, said pneumatic control device being supplied with air from the air blower, whereby air supplied to the pneumtic control device causes the carrier and nozzle to move in one direction until the limit switch is actuated and reverse the direction of movement of the carrier and nozzle under the influence of the pneumatic device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,036,358 5/1962 Scaglia 2819 LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner. 

